Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-03-11
Communicated

BIT. OLIVE, VA, March Sth, 1901
EDITOR SHENANDOAH HERALD:
Sir-Please allow small space in the
columns of your valuable paper for little
Road talk. The question Of Roads is Of
ital importance and interest to every
farmer aud mechanic as well as the gen
-ral travelling public. There is no qnes-
ton AT present that should agitate the
minds of the people more than the present
condition of the public roads How shall
the public roads be improved BY the
old method. No, that has been failure
the roads are in no better condition than
they we're twenty years ago, under the
present system. When Will they be IN
better condition. will it be in ten or
twenty years , or will it be when the pres
emit generation shall have passed away
or will it be nowl How long will the
good people of the grand old county OF
shenandoah continue to scale the tower
ING hills aud blunder over the rock brakes
and wade through the mud as they are
now doing Our county is rapidly inn
proving, and our people are industrious
and frugal yet there is very little said
with regard to good roads and good sys-
tens. Our people continue to climb the
same old hills their forefathers climbed.
Some of these hills can bs cut down and
made almost level while others can be
gone around at q small expense. This
would be decidedly cheaper and much
more desirable than to strain the poor
over loaded and over-burdened horse, and
| then whip him because he cannot draw a
heavier load. It is our humble opinion
that there are but two methods by which
| the public roads can be improved, and that
is TO consent to an increase of taxation, or
to ask the general government to appro-
pirate funds for this purpose. First Of all
| it will be necessary for the people TO
| choose Supervisors and Commissioners
who are interested in good roads. Let
these be men who have courage, nerve
and backbone to ask for funds, and who are
| not afraid of few old fogies who reside
| along the Valley Turnpike snd are OPP
posed to any community having good
| roads other than themselves. and Of course
are opposed to an increase of taxation
Let the people see to it at tho approach %
ing Nav election that no candidate for
| Supervisor or Commissioner be elected
who have no road plank in their respective
uniforms. Heretofore the people have
| remained silent and allowed these Super
visors and Commissioners to step into
Office unpledged and untrammolled. Il il
| any wonder then, that we have such bad
roads and such bad systems Last win
| ter the legislature passed bill to work
! the public roads by taxation, aud after
| ward there was an amendment offered Ia
this bill to leave it optional with the Su
pervisors and Commissioners of the diff
terent counties. The Supervisors of thi'
comfy met and decided not to adopt tn,
} new method, thinking it more economical
70 leave the stones in the roads than t.
widen so that wagons could pass, aud L
draw heavy loads mp over the hills than Il
wind around. They forget that it ism
anv farther around the hills than owe
| them; give them to understand that thu
neople rule and that they are the servant
of the people and We shall have bette
roads. Good roads would greatly enhance
\ | the value of real estate, and as shenandoah
, has rich ore beds locked up In the bowel
of Mother Earth awaiting development
and enterprise, the greatest obstacle to al
= tbis IL the miserable condition Of the pub
! | lie roods: good roads would greatly facil
, tate our farmers and mechanics In gettinl
their agricultural products and manufac
tured commodities TO market. Let al
b lovers of good roads make the road ques
. tion an issne-keep it before the people
, The nresent system Of working the road
Is unjust. it requires all male persons fror
the ayes of rs to 90 10 work on the road
Z two days in each year. All persons owe
q IN vars of age are exempt from workin
ON The public roads. 10 doesn't make an
difference how much he or she uses ,h
roads. while the poor unfortunate ma
| who doesn't even own horse has to wor
q the roads two days in each year 1t wi
= he seen that he works the roads as man
y asvs as the millionaire, so TO speak.
Lover OF GOOD ROADS.